Metallic structure for railway cars



June 9, 1931. lw. E. VAN DoRN 1,809,612

METALLIC STRUCTURE Fon RAILWAY CARS Filed Sept. 25. 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 June 9, 1931. w. E, VAN BORN 1,809,612

METALLIC STRUCTURE FOR RAILWAY CARS Filed Sept. 25, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 0 O O O O 0y O 0 0 0 0 Patented .lune 9, 1931 METALLIC sranorunn non nairiwar sans Application filed September 25, 1929 Serial No. 595,933.

My invention relates to the construction. of railway cars and more particularly to metal end structures or walls for railway cars made of one or more metallic plates or panels formed with integral reinforcing, stiii'ening and bracing corrugations or embossmen However, this device may be incorporated in the construction of cai` side walls, floors, roofs, side doors ior drop doors used in connection v with railway cars of various types.

It is well known that the end walis of railway cars are more likely to be broken or otherwise injured than the side walls. rllhis is due to the inertia thrusts and pressures cau sed by the shitting of the cargoes when the train starts or stops. These thrusts may be local, tending to distort the end in some particular spot, as, for example, when a piece of piping or lumber shitts lengthwise imparting a blow against the end wall of the car; o-r there may be a general tendency to break out the end wall as a whole or tear it away 'from thc 'trant ing. VrFor the purpose, thereiore, ot greater strength and durability, car ends havebeen constructed of metal plates corrugated or formed with ribs *to impart the desired strength, rigidity and resiliency.

One of the principal objects oi my inven tion is to provide a corrugated or embossed `3o metallic end 'structure for railway cars in which the corrugations or embossments have a configuration and arrangement that imp art to the structure a maximum capacity for resisting cargo thrusts, both localv and general,

static or quiescent, and with suiiicient resiliency toy prevent permanent distortion due to the thrusts of theloads, with a minimum weight oi' metal. It is important that structures of: this sort should be'as light is pos- 40 sible, consistent with strength and durability,

bot-l1 for reasons of economy in manufacturing cost and also to keep the weight of the car at a minimum.

A further object is to provide acorrugated metallic wall element that is practically possible to manufacture. A further object is to provide a metallic wall element gations or embossments that resist to a greater degree/torsional stresses, .is well as brace the element, and the car end against with corrudiagonal side thrusts otweaving. Another object is to form a metallic plate with integral corrugations or ribs which impart to it a certain amount of strength and rigidity to resist loads imposed thereon and to so form and position the corrugations or ribs as to rovide a certain amount of resiliency to enable the plate to deflect and return to its normal position without appreciable amount l of permanent distortion. n My construction is an improvement over the arrangement of embossments shown in Patent No. 1,681,818 of August 2 1, 1928, because when the lengths of the center lines of the metal of the cross sections at the middles and adjacent the end portions of the embossm-ents vare equal to each other, the width Yand depth of the end portions is dependent upon the width and depth of the middles of the embossments and vice versa. In my arrangement,` however, assuming the width and/or depth of the middles to be the same as the middles of the embossments of the Small Patent No. 1,681,818 than the width and/or depth of the end portions of my major and minor embossments can-be made deeper and/or wider than'is possible in the small arrangement without increasing the lengths of the center lines of the cross sections of the metal. rlhis means without increasing the stretch of the metal.

f While the corrugations are shown pressed outwardly, and in horizontal arrangement, it is understood thatV the corrugations or embossments may be pressed inwardly or partially inwardly and partially outwardly from the original plane oi the plate or the corrugations or embossments may be placed in any position; for instance, vertically or diagonally. The plates or panels may be positioned vertically orI horizontally and applied to any type of railway car.

In the drawings: Fig. lis an end elevation ot a box car equipped with my invention.

` Fig. 2 is a section on line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 8 isan end elevation of a gondola car equipped with my invention.

Fig. t is a section on line e-Ll of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a detail of a plate formed accordin to my invention.

ig. 6 is a section on line 6-6 of Fig. 5.

Fig. 7 is a section on line 7 7 of Fig. 5.

Fig, 8 is Ya section on line 8-8 of Fig. 5.

Fig. 9 is a section on line 99 of Fig. 5.

Fig. 10 shows a modiied form.

Fig. 1l is a section on line 11--11 of Fig. 10.

Fig. 12 is a section on line 12H12 of Fig. 10.

Fig. 13 is a section on line 13-13 of Fig. 10.

The metallic plate is formed with a pair of major embossments 2 positioned with their longitudinal axes diverging from each other, preferably at both ends, which pref erably terminate within the plate or adjacent the frame member to which the plate is attached.

These major embossments are substantially equal in width and spaced apart a distance substantially equal to their respective widths adjacent their middles and are also preferably equal in depth so as to provide a configuration which is symmetrical in cross section about a line midway between the outermost portions of the em* bossments. (See Fig. 6). In a steel plate such a configuration provides the maximum strength for the amount of material used. This cross section is preferably sinuous to provide resiliency as well as strength. These major embossments decrease in width -andV also Vpreferably decrease in depth toward their opposite ends.

The plate is also formed with a minor embossment 4 between the ends of the major einbossments which increase in width and also preferably increase in depth toward their outer ends until they are equal in width (5) (and also preferably equal in depth) to the ends (6) of the major einbossments. The ends of the major and minor embossments are spaced apart distances substantially equal to their respective widths so as to provide a configuration which is symmetrical in cross section about a line midway between the outermost portions of the embossments. (See Fig. 7 This cross section is also preferably sinuous.

I have described a group of two major and two minor embossments, but if a larger area is to be reinforced by my embossed plate I form the plate with a plurality of such groups having the middles of the adjacent major embossments of adjacent groups of equal width (and preferably of equal depth) and spaced apart distances equal to their respective widths. (See Fig'. 6.) I also form the ends of the adjacent major embossments of the same width (and preferably the same depth) and spaced apart distances (7) equal to their width. (See Fig. 7.)

The embossments are preferably of constant width and depth for aV predetermined distance 8 on each side of the central line of the plate or car (or midway between the extremities of the embossments) to provide a simple means of adjustment of the lengths of the embossments to accommodate various requirements. Y

The maj or and minor corrugations may be positioned and dimensioned so that the length of the center lines of the metal of a cross section of the maj or corrugations adj acent their middle is the same as the length of the center line of the metal of a cross section of the major and minor corrugations adjacent their end portions. This is a material manufacturing advantage as it more evenly distributes the draw and stretch of the metal due to pressing the corrugations in the plate.

In Figs. 1 and 2 I have shown my reinforced plate applied as the end wall of a railway box car, wherein the usual parts of the car are shown, such as draft sill 10; striking casting l1; end sill 12; end plate 13; roof la; corner post 15; lining 16 and nailing strips 17.

In Figs. 3 and et the reinforced plate is used as an end wall of a gondola car wherein the reinforced plate is provided with a vertical flange 20 secured to the steel side wall 21 of the car and the upper edge of the plate is attached to the top chord 22.

A Figs. to 9 inclusive show the plate of F igs. 1 to 4 inclusive in detail.

Figs. 10 to 13 inclusive show a modified form wherein the adjacent major embossments diverge at one end and converge at the other end wherein the minor embossments are positiened between the divergent ends and the convergent ends of the adjacent major embossments are spaced apart a distance substantially equal to their width.

The accompanying drawings illustrate the preferred form of the invention, though it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the exact details of construction shown and described, as it is obvious that various modifications thereof, within the scope of the claims, will occur to persons skilled in the art.

I claim:

1. A metallic plate formed with a pair of major embossments, the longitudinal axes of said major embossments diverging from each other at their ends, said plate also formed with a minor embossment between said ends of the major embossments.

2. A metallic plate formed with a pair of equal width major embossments which decrease in width toward their opposite ends, the longitudinal axes of said major embossments diverging from each other at their ends, said plate also formed with a minor embossment between said ends of the or embossments equal in width to the ends of the major embossments.

3. A metallic plate formed with a pair of equal width major embossments spaced apart a distance equal to their width adjacent their middle which decrease in width toward their opposite ends, the longitudinal axes of said major embossments diverging from each other at their ends, said plate also formed with a minor embossment between said ends of the maj or embossments equal in width to the ends of the major embossments.

Il. A metallic plate formed with a pair or" equal width maj or embossments spaced apart a distance equal to their width adjacent their middle which decrease in width toward their opposite ends, the longitudinal axes et said maj or embossments diverging from each other at their ends, said plate also formed with a minor embossment between said ends of the major embossments equal in width to the ends of the major embossments and spaced apart therefrom a distance equal to said width.

5. A metallic plate formed with apair of equal width maj or embossments spaced apart a distance equal to their width adjacent their middle which decrease in width toward their opposite ends, the longitudinal axes maj o-r embossments diver-ging from each other at their ends, said plate also formed with a minor emhossment between said ends ot the major embossments, which increase in width toward its outer end until equal in width to the ends of the major embossments.

6. A metallic plate formed with a pair of equal. width major embossments which decrease ,in width toward their opposite ends and terminate within the plate,`the longiudinal axes of said major embossments diverging from each other at their ends, said plate also formed with a minor embossment between said ends ot the major embossments equal in width to the ends of the major embossments.

7. A metallic plate formed with a pairof equal width and equal depth. major kembossments which decrease in width and in depth toward their opposite ends, the longitudinal axes of said major embossments diverging from each other at their ends, said plate also formed with a minor embossment between said ends of the major embossments equal in width and in depth to the ends of the major embossments.

8. A metallic plate formed with a pair of equal width and equal depth major emboss ments which decrease in width and'in depth toward their opposite ends, the longitudinal axes of said major embossments diverging irom each other at their ends, said plate also formed with a minor embossment between said ends of the major embossments equal in width and in depth to the ends ot the major embossments and spaced apart therefrom a distance equal to said width.

9. A metallic plate vformed with a pair et equal width and equal depthrnajor embossments spaced apart a distance equal to their width adjacent their middle which decrease of said in width and in depth toward their opposite ends, the longitudinal axes of said major' embossments diverging from each other at their ends, said plate also formed with a minor embossment between said ends of the maj or embossments which increase in width and in depth toward lits outer end until equal in width and in depth to the ends ot the major embossments and spaced apart therefrom a distance equal to said width.

l0. A metallic plate formed with a pair of major embossments, the longitudinal axes of said major embossments diverging from each. other, said plate also formed with a minor embossment between said divergent ends.

l1. A metallic plate formed with a pair ot equal width major embossments which decrease in width toward their opposite ends, the longitudinal axes of said major embossments diverging from each other at their ends, said plate also formed with a minor embossment between said. ends of the major embossments equal in width to the ends of the maj or embossments, said plate formed with a plurality of groups ot such major and minor embossments having the middles ot the ad'- jacent major embossments spaced apart distances equal to their width.

1Q. A metallic plate formed with a pair ot equal width major embossments which decrease in width toward their opposite ends, the longitudinal axes of said major embossments diverging from each other at their ends, said plate also formed with a minor embossment between said ends of the major embossments equal in width to the ends ot the major embossments, said plate formed with apluralY ity of groups of such major and minor embossments having the middles of the adjacent major embossments spaced apart distances equal to their width and the ends ot adjacent major embossments spaced apart distances equal to their width.

13. A metallic plate formed with a pair ot equal width major embossments spaced apart a distance equal to their width adjacent their middle which decrease in width toward their opposite ends, the longitudinal axes of said major embossments diverging :trom each other at their ends, said plate also formed with a minor embossment between said ends of the major embossments equal in width to the ends of the maj or embossments, said plate formed with a plurality of groups of such major and minor embossments having the middles of the adjacent major embossments spaced apart distances equal to their width.

14;. A metallic plate 'formed with a pair of equal width major embossments spaced apart a distance equal to their width adjacent their middle which decrease in width toward their opposite ends, the longitudinal axes of said major embossments diverging from each other at their ends, said plate also formed with a minor embosslnent betweensaid ends of the major einbossments equal in Width to the ends of the major einbossnients, said plate formed with a plurality of groups of such major and minor emhossnients having the niiddles of the adjacent major en'ibossnients spaced apart distances equal to their Width and the ends of adjacent major emboss'nients spaced apart distances equal to their width.

15. A metallic plate formed with a pair of equal Width and equal depth majer embossments which decrease in width and in depth toward their opposite ends, the longitudinal axes of said major embossments diverging from eachother at their ends, said plate also formed a. ininor embossnient between said ends of the major einbossments equal in.

Width and in depth to the ends of the major embossments, said plate formed with a plurality of groups of such major and minor embosslnents having;v the middles of the adjacent major embossnients spaced apart distances equal to their Width.

16. A metallic plate formed With a pair Oi equal Width and equal depth major embossments which decrease in Width and in depth toward their opposite ends, the longitudinal axes of said major enihossments diverging from each other at their ends, said plate also formed a minor elnhossinent between said ends of the ina-jor einbossinents equal in Width and in depth to the ends ci" the major cmbossnients and spaced apart theretron'i a distance equal to said Width, said plate formed with a, philralitj/v of groups of such major and lniuor elnbossnients having the middles of the adjacent major embossments spaced apart distances equal to their Width VILLIAM E. VAN DOR-N. 

